Clippers 138, Warriors 98
Blake Griffin led the way with a postseason career-high 35 points on 13-of-17 shooting as Los Angeles crushed visiting Golden State to even the first-round Western Conference series at a game apiece.
Chris Paul collected 12 points, 10 assists, six rebounds and five steals and Matt Barnes scored 13 points before the starters took most of the fourth quarter off for the Clippers. DeAndre Jordan added 11 points, nine rebounds and five blocks while Danny Granger scored 15 points off the bench for Los Angeles, which set a franchise record for points scored in a playoff game.
Stephen Curry scored 24 points and David Lee had 11 for the Warriors, who host Game 3 on Thursday. Draymond Green scored 11 points off the bench for Golden State.
The Clippers scored the first five points of the game and never trailed, stretching the lead to 25-13 on back-to-back baskets by Griffin later in the period and taking a 31-20 lead when Jamal Crawford’s layup just beat the buzzer. The reserves began to really open things up in the second quarter as 3-pointers by Crawford, Hedo Turkoglu and Granger in a 75-second span made it a 46-28 gap.
The Warriors started fouling late in the second quarter but Griffin and Jordan combined to hit six free throws in under two minutes and Los Angeles cruised into the break with a 67-41 advantage. Griffin scored on consecutive possessions to give the Clippers a 79-46 lead just over four minutes into the second half and Granger’s 3-pointer at the end of the third made it a 105-73 lead as Los Angeles coasted.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Clippers coach Doc Rivers and Warriors C Jermaine O’Neal, who played for Rivers in Boston, jawed at each other in the second quarter after O’Neal was called for a foul. … The Warriors allowed 130 or more points for the 11th time in franchise playoff history. … Golden State G Klay Thompson, who led the team with 22 points in Game 1, was held to seven in 20 minutes while battling foul trouble.